Two Florida Gators swimmers accused of shoplifting in Orlando

Rachel George, Orlando Sentinel

Two University of Florida swimmers were arrested on shoplifting charges in Orlando on Saturday and are suspended from the team indefinitely.

Juniors Lily Ramirez, of Gainesville, and Daniela Victoria, from Plantation, were arrested by the Orange County Sherriff's Office at The Florida Mall. The two face charges of misdemeanor petty theft after admitting to taking two jackets valued at $130 total from Nordstrom's.

"We are extremely disappointed in the actions of two of our student-athletes this past weekend," UF swimming coach Gregg Troy said in a statement. "Both individuals have been suspended indefinitely, and will miss the 2011 SEC Swimming Championships and beyond. University of Florida student-athletes are held to a high standard of character. This was unquestionably a massive error in judgment, and our program simply cannot and will not tolerate this type of behavior."

Florida hosts the SEC swimming and diving championships next week.

Nordstrom's employees alerted a deputy after they said they saw Ramirez and Victoria leave the store without paying for two jackets.

According to the sherriff's report, Ramirez and Victoria returned the merchandise after being pulled over by the deputy. Both have since been released from jail.

Ramirez earned academic All-American honors from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America in her first two seasons.

Victoria, a St. Thomas Aquinas alumna, was a first-team, all-county pick by the Sun-Sentinel in 2007. Her father, Tomas Victoria, is the owner and director of the Davie Nadadores swim club.